Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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Will you refurbish my toaster? or waffle iron?

Toaster Central does not accept waffle irons for repair and refurbishing. I might be able to make a referral if you send good pictures of the top and the bottom and with the lid open.

Toaster Central accepts repairs on certain models of toasters for which we have parts. Please send the make and model of your toaster, along with some pictures.

If we have parts, and can accept the job, it runs $95 to $145 depending on what all needs to be done. Some parts are extra, like broken or missing handles, knobs and feet.

I am fixing my old toaster or waffle iron. I have it apart, but how do I.....?

We cannot provide advice for the do it yourselfers. First of all, we can't see the situation, and secondly, we don't want to be responsible for hazard conditions.

I want to buy a toaster, but it is marked sold. Will you get another one?

Many items marked sold will be available again in the future. If you would like to request that item, please send me an email along with your shipping address. I'll let you know when the next one becomes available.

What are the waffle iron grids made of?

All of our waffle irons have cast aluminum grids. None of our waffle irons have non-stick coating such as Teflon.

We do not sell a waffle iron with cast iron grids, ditto for steel grids -- they tried that idea in the early ninteen-twenties, but steel doesn't conduct the heat efficiently or evenly.

Do you sell a Belgian waffle maker?

No, the waffle irons we sell make 'regular' waffles with small dimples, not the Beglian style waffle which is thicker with big, deep dimples.

What does an 'automatic' waffle iron mean?

Most "automatic" waffle irons have a control to set the operating temperature of the cooking grids. The heat selected is regulated automatically by an internal thermostat. Most "automatic" waffle irons also have a signal light to indicate when baking temperature is reached, and also when the waffle is finished baking.

"Non-automatic" waffle irons are not equipped with a thermostat. Most are engineered to maintain the correct operating temperature as long as they are kept filled with batter. They require more monitoring during operation than an automatic model and may need to be unplugged for a short time if the temperature climbs too high.

Most "non-automatic" models have a rudimentary temperature indicator to tell you when the cooking grids are at the correct operating temperature. Waffles were made quite successfully on "non-automatic" waffle irons prior to automatic models, and still are.

All of our waffle irons, both automatic and non-automatic come with complete operating instructions. You can be confident that you'll get good results with either type. You pay more for an automatic model simply for the convenience of not having to monitor it as closely as a non-automatic model.

I have an old TOASTER OVEN that quit working. Can you fix it?

Toaster Central does not sell toaster ovens, we don't have any parts, and we do not take them in for repair.

I've bought a toaster on ebay/at a yard sale but it isn't working. I've taken it apart and can you help me fix it?

While I am glad to help with simple things, I cannot help you with complex work. I'm in business to sell old toasters that I've refurbished. Giving advice to non-customers is very limited.

What is the value of my old toaster? or waffle iron?

The value of a toaster is highly subjective. Ultimately, in monetary terms it is worth what another person will pay in the marketplace. Value depends on scarcity, design appeal and condition. Most of the time, condition is the most important factor. There is no complete catalog of all the toasters that have been produced. There are a very, very few kinds of toasters that are worth thousands when they are auctioned. Because they were a mass produced item, many models are abundant. The most current and liquid market place today is online auctions. At any given time there are several hundred vintage toasters up for auction online. You can check the current and past auctions for prices, but remember that CONDITION is a wildcard when you buy a toaster without handling it yourself and when you must rely on the seller's description of the model and condition.
I buy, clean & repair old toasters to sell. I cannot appraise your toaster without handling it myself. I sometimes buy pieces in excellent condition when they are available at prices that are reasonable when I add shipping. Eighty-five percent of prices at Toaster Central is labor cost, so on average I can pay fifteen percent of the price you see for pieces in very good condition.